10 Biggest Wrestling Pops Of 2016
The crowd goes bananas!
When you watch an event or match on TV (sorry - Network!) no matter how good the wrestling is, if the crowd in attendance aren't responding then something intangible is lost. We all know there's a marked difference between watching the action live and seeing it on the screen, and those watching at home rely on the crowd to inform them and feed them those feelings of erupting emotion and joint elation that are such a powerful and integral part of wrestling.
A great pop is a beautiful thing and 2016 had its fair share of unforgettable moments, so many that you could ask ten different fans for a list and get very different responses. This list admittedly omits more than a few honourable mentions, such as Goldberg defeating Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series, The Undertaker popping in here and there, and AJ Styles winning his first WWE Championship.
If such omissions haven't sent you into a downward spiral of rage, let us look back at the year and pick out some of the biggest crowd reactions.
10. Beauty And The Man Beast Win The Big One
2016 has been a strange year for Heath Slater. After the reintroduction of the brand split, 'The One Man Band' found himself without a contract and rudderless in the new era. All that changed however, with the prospect of the newly created SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Seeing the tournament to crown the inaugural champions as his way into a job, Slater combed the locker room looking for a partner.
After numerous rejections, the returning Rhyno (who had beaten Slater on his own return earlier in the year) agreed to become Slater's partner for the tournament. What followed was a strange and wild journey where Slater's trailer-park tendencies were ramped up considerably and the catchphrase "I've got kids. I need this job" became one of the most recognisable on either brand.
The team advanced to the tournament final where they faced The Usos at Backlash for the gold. After a well executed match, Slater and Rhyno picked up the win with Slater crawling over to make the cover as the crowd counted along and erupted at the three count.
A strange and somewhat surreal moment, considering those involved, but one that is a testament to the charisma and work that each man put into the angle.